smoking laws are set to include fines of SR200 for smoking in public places, the head of the Ministry of Health Anti-Smoking Program has revealed. Majed Al-Muneef said this week that the new laws, which are currently being looked at by the Council of Ministers Experts Commission, comprise 20 articles, and that taxes on tobacco imports and money levied from fines would go towards awareness campaigns and medical costs. “The ministry and other authorities are studying tax increases of 200 percent and considering other taxes to address the effect on the environment, and other issues,” Al-Muneef said. “The Ministry of Health has no connection, however, with the recent rise in tobacco prices,” he added. The 20 percent rise was said last week to have had a significant effect on the number of persons seeking help to quit smoking, with owners of clinics reporting large numbers of persons – notably young people and person of limited income. Abdul Aziz Al-Useimi said the price rise was a direct factor in the rise in numbers, which, he said, had prompted notable numbers of young persons and people of limited income to consider giving up the habit. “I'd now like to see the price rises cover all types of tobacco smoking, particularly shisha and mu'assal”, Al-Useimi said, referring to the popular local tradition of water-pipe smoking. The Shoura Council last year called for swifter enforcement of the Anti-Smoking Law which was approved by the Council of Ministers in August 2008.
